


Don’t die from poison. Every kind of poison.

by Assasymphonie



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, DimiClaude is the main pair, I love historic aus, M/M, One-Shot, Royalty, The others are just implied, alternative universe, even if Glenn is alive here, historical setting, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:14:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25978813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Assasymphonie/pseuds/Assasymphonie
Summary: One of them was the infamous Duke Aegir. The one Felix threw a chair at.“It’ll be so much fun!!”No one decides to answer Sylvain’s enthusiasm. It will be a long night.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Kudos: 23





	Don’t die from poison. Every kind of poison.

**Author's Note:**

> The Victorian!AU no one asked for.  
> EDIT: for the record, i changed a bit their titles since I needed (wanted) Lambert alive AND I wanted Felix, Sylvain and Ingrid as heads of their houses (despise Glenn's presence). I hope this doesn't bother you!

"... and what about Von Aegir? I remember clearly he said he wanted to partecipate in the next hunt, am I wrong?"

Piercing blue eyes stare at the large figure obscuring the window, who simply nods while staring back: someone might calls it insulting, Dimitri calls it mutual respect. A neatly folded newspaper right in front of him, a cup of tea between his slender fingers and a deep blue vest, as usual: Dimitri Alexandre Blayddid, crown prince of Faerghus, is well known for his composture and elegance.

"I reckon, Your Highness, what the Duke said but I also want to bring to your attention what Duke Fraldarius' answer was that evening."

That was an odd day, to say the least, because said Duke Fraldarius was not foreign to be colleric in such flashy manners, but no one would have expected a chair to be thrown at one of the most preminent noble of Adrestian Empire. That night Dimitri almost lost his composture, but in the morning he simply laughs it off. 

“I guess you’re right Dedue, as always. Please, can you help me with my clothes today? I know I don’t need to ask you such a thing everyday, but I don’t want to impose myself on you.”

Dedue smiles, ready to open the door. Always on point, always ready, always here like a millenial wall made of stone.  
“It would be my pleasure, Your Highness.”

________________________________________________________________

The summer palace, in situations like this one, is more like a nest. In every corner a multitude of attendants is making sure that everything is in order, every single piece of furniture reflects the newest lights all over the rooms, under the directions of a very determined Mercedes. Ms Von Martiz is an authority in her field, like a commander in the middle of the battle, with that sweet touch so typical of her person. Everyone loves and respects her to death.

“Oh, Clark, please, make sure everything in the Margrave’s room is okay, I don’t feel like listening to him tomorrow morning. Edith, I beg you, remember to cook a dessert not too sweet for the Duke’s tastes and Lucas please prepare the Countess Galatea’s favourite horse for today’s hunt, the white one and- good morning Your Highness, I hope you slept well! Ready for today?”

Dimitri, with his best hunt’s suit -red, even if the colour doesn’t suit him like the blue hues do- and a little smile on his lips, bowed a little for Mercedes, greetings everyone with his eyes. “Quite well Mercedes, thank you. I must ask another favour, if you don’t mind… I really need the grey stallion today, if I’ll use the black one Felix will have my head for dinner.”

She smiles and nods, flashing a wave to Dedue before disappearing into the kitchens, just in time before the doorbell rings. Dimitri sighs; the day is going to be a long one, for sure, since he’s hearing Felix’s shouts from the outside.  
“Do you want me to open the door, Your Highness?” Dedue is already walking towards the doors, hand on the doorknob. Dimitri knows well that he cannot stop him, even if he orders to keep the door shout.  
“I hope Ashe is here, one of us must be happy today at least.”

He doesn’t miss the faint blush on his personal attendant’s face.

________________________________________________________________

“For the love of God Felix, can you stop your gigantic dog for once? He’s trying to mount mine!”

“And you could’ve not bring her today since you know she’s in heat, dumbface. Come on Rand, come here!”

A big, blonde mastiff comes right near the foot of his owner, a stormy Duke Felix Hugo Fraldarius in a indigo cape, thigh high boots and a hat under his arm. His hair, usually grazing his shoulderblades, are up in a tight ponytail giving his face an even deeper scowl than usual. Being the former heir of the kingdom it’s not affecting his persona in any form, that’s for sure. In front of him stands the Margrave Sylvain Jose Gautier in all his redhead glory, black vest and black boots and a Spaniel in his arms.  
The usual comedy, someone might say.

“You’re not even an hunter Sylvain, what the hell are you doing here, and” Felix pauses, giving Dimitri a brief nod of recognition, at least “Ashe come here, take my hat -my horse is ready?”

A young boy with a mop of grey hair and a lot of freckles under his fringe comes running, nodding furiously. Felix’s personal attendant, Ashe Duran, envied by a fair bit of Faerghus nobility. “Yes my Lord, and I… I took the Margrave’s horse too since he has no attendant, please don’t be mad but- you know-“

The scold on Felix’s face is way deeper now, and Ashe is so glad that Dimitri and Dedue decided to step over. Well, mostly to Dedue, who’s literally behind him towering over his tiny self, a hand on his shoulder.

“Felix, don’t be so harsh, I beg you- enjoy the hunt with us and-“  
“Nosense. Better hope I don’t mistake you for my prey, Boar. It would be really a nuisance.”

“Felix!” A feminine voice interrups everything, even the birds’ chirps on top of the trees around the palace. Ingrid, already on her beautiful white horse -well, not quite hers, but Dimitri is going to gift it to his friend very soon-, stomps between Felix and everyone else, staring at the Duke with jade’s eyes and lips turned into a straight line. She knows Felix like the palm of her hand, since she’s promised to his brother Glenn, now in the city as the future Dimitri’s minister of Internal Affairs. They grew up almost in the same rooms, and the ‘tch’ from Felix is a way to end the quarrel right there. 

He really, really, doesn’t want to hear Ingrid’s reprimands.

“Good morning, Your Highness! Are we ready for the hunt?”

Dimitri is always so grateful for her in situations like that. Felix is hard to manage even in his good days -very few- and usually takes at least Sylvain to end all the venom in Felix’s words. Nonetheless, Dimitri is sadly used to it. He did things, he said things which made Felix hurt in more ways than one, so he is really convinced he deserved the treatment.

Or at least he deserved not to be loved.

“Good morning Ingrid. Yes, since everyone is on their horses as far as I can tell. Today the hunt will be shorter than usual though.”

Everyone nod, someone more excited than others. It’s no secret that a huge group of diplomatics, both from the Empire and the Alliance as well, were invited by King Lambert to join his son’s chambers, since the King is almost inapproachable lately.

One of them was the infamous Duke Aegir. The one Felix threw a chair at.

“It’ll be so much fun!!”  
No one decides to answer Sylvain’s enthusiasm. It will be a long night.

________________________________________________________________

The ballroom, in its golden glory, is full of a variety of people quite unimaginable. The diplomatics were, at the very last, just four. The Duke Ferdinand von Aegir, tall and prince-like in his garment made from the finest red velvet and white silk, fiery long, ginger hair kept on his shoulders like a molten cape of copper. The Empress’ personal attendant Hubert von Vestra at his side, talking with half of a smile with Sylvain, tall and ominous in his black over black cape and shirt, an hint of silver on his chest from an eagle brooch and nothing more.

Those two are, accordingly to Glenn’s reports, seconds only to the Empress talking about heritage, prestige, power and dangerousness. At least they are good guests, all the opposite from the night before but von Aegir definitely avoids Felix’s gaze, who’s sitting on the deep brown sofa in his usual teal and white cape, hair left loose and slightly damp from the day.

“What do you think about von Vestra, Felix? I know you don’t like von Aegir, but I need your experience.” Dimitri asks, sitting near the latter who answers with a scowl and a huff. If Glenn Fraldarius was the best at Internal Affairs, Felix Fraldarius is the real deal. The spy of Faerghus, the shadow in the candlelight. Dimitri’s best man and, once, best friend. 

“He’s a snake, Blaiddyd. Look at how he moves, how he stands. You can’t see his hands, but he puts out loud and clear that sick smile of his. Sylvain wants to throw up the wine.”

He stands up, smoothing the small wrinkles in his jacket’s sides, glaring once more to Dimitri still sitting on said sofa. “Von Aegir is just a pretty idiot. Probably they fuck, him and von Vestra. That’s disgusting. I will take care of them, instead…” He points his chin towards the big windows on the other side of the room, where two men are talking gingerly with Ingrid and, as he arrived at the palace in the afternoon, Gilbert.  
They are fairly… strange, Dimitri’s gonna admit that. One is a tall, lean man with a very pompous lilac suit, a red rose in his breast pocket and a strange smile, almost fake, with quite old manners for the 20th century. His name, if Dimitri’s memory is right, is Lorenz Gloucester. He’s just unusual in the most usual way, but the other…

The other is a little bit shorter than the average, with magnificent olive skin and two big, sparkling green eyes over a slightly bearded jaw and a pale yellow and gold garment, not quite right comparing to everyone else’s. He’s smiling wide at Ingrid, but in a second his jaded eyes fixated on Dimitri for an istant.  
He almost doesn’t hear Felix’s grunt.

“… he’s strange, Dimitri. I don’t know him, but he is. Maybe even more dangerous than von Vestra or even Sylvain in his good days. Don’t die from poison. Every kind of poison.”

“… and this is what I s- oh, Your Highness!” Ingrid smiles, tearing her attention from the foreigners to Dimitri, who is… strangerly dazed. He can feel the tightness of his vest, how uncomfortable his pants are and how deeply that man’s eyes are staring into his skull. It should be unsettling. But it isn’t.

“Hello, Ingrid. Can I ask you to be so kind and introduce to me the gentlemen here? I’m afraid I don’t know them and it’s quite a shame, considering my position.” Dimitri bowes his head down slightly, not missing the smirk on the foreigner man; just ten years ago a thing like that would’ve been considered disrespectful to say the least.

“They’re diplomatics from the Alliance, in the south: this is Lorenz Gloucester, Count Gloucester’s son, and he’s in charge of… Foreign Affairs, if I reckon correctly.” Said Lorenz nods, giving Dimitri a refined bow. He knows his status, Dimitri thinks, a smile on his lips. “And the other man is Claude von Riegan. He’s-“

“I’m Duke von Riegan’s infamous grandson, Your Princeliness. The one who ran away from his duties only to came back an year ago with nothing to say about it. Yep, that one. It’s really a pleasure to meet you.”

Claude’s eyes are sparkling while he’s basically throwing himself under a chariot, like it’s something amusing and worth to tell anyone. Dimitri knows the story well enough, it was a scandal first because of his mother who married some unnamed foreign guy, and second because her son came back just while the old Duke was almost ready to, well, leave his mortal self. 

Even in the Kingdom everyone more or less know about it, and it’s strange that his father wanted Dimitri to meet the most scandalous man in entire Fòdlan.  
Even more scandalous than Sylvain.

“I heard something, but they’re just rumors. If they were not, my father wouldn’t have allow this party I guess. But the pleasure is mine, Claude.” The glint is now in Dimitri’s eyes too: his life, his entire being, is running towards the throne. He can not do what Claude did. He can not even think about it. That kind of freedom is something Dimitri is not capable of taste, not in this life at least.

“But, if the rumors are true, I must say I find them very interesting. That would’ve been fun.”

________________________________________________________________

Dimitri is, for sure, surprised to see the breakfast table with a guest so early in the morning. He’s not an heavy-sleeper by any means and often he finds himself eating breakfast and the crack of dawn, alone. He almost doesn’t greet Claude when he sees him for this reason, as if he doesn’t really reckon his peculiar guest.

“Hello, Dimitri. I just asked for breakfast thinking about having a walk at dawn, but I didn’t expect to see you up so early.” His smile is polite even if a smirk appears on those full lips and Dimitri cannot understand if he’s being teased or… else. 

Claude is, for sure, strange. It’s hard to tell what he’s thinking behind smirks, playful laughs and knowing looks, in particular when he bores his eyes right into Dimitri’s stealing his deepest and darkest secrets in a matter of seconds. But, at the same time, Dimitri finds this misterious aura alluring, exotic, magnetic. Follow the train of Claude’s thoughs is like to disobey to his father’s orders, a luxury Dimitri didn’t have in his entire life.  
Claude is the wilderness he can see in paintings or read in a well written book.

“Oh- I’m sorry to say I am a very morning person” Dimitri starts, nodding at the just arrived breakfast for both of them. “and, if I may ask, do you mind join me in my morning walk?”

This act of boldness is exactly what Felix said he must not do and, Dimitri being Dimitri, he already feels the sting of guilt right behind his eyes. He expects a rejection tho, so maybe Felix will not be so angry later thanks to Sylvain’s presence too.

“Are you joking? I would love to! Lately I’ve been only to parties and stuff like that, so my legs are stiff as Lorenz. It’s okay for you, Princeliness, if I come with my usual morning attire? I must admit, I don’t have those fancy clothes you have here.”

A brief pause and Claude stands up, revealing a light colour shirt wore loose without the proper undergarments and a very deep V-shaped neckline, a pair of brown trousers and high-knee boots, more suited to a horse ride than everything else. On his chest Dimitri can see a gold necklace with something resembling a deer as a pendant. Dimitri tries to concentrate on that detail, but it’s almost impossible. Everything, in that man, screams freedom, sin, and guilt at the same time.

“But first I must share a secret with you, Your Princeliness.”

Dimitri doesn’t move a muscle, the other’s features impossibly close inch by inch. He can feel his breath on the skin, the slight smell of wood, spices and summer. This is so inappropriate, Dimitri thinks, he’s royalty and this man is a no-one and on top of that they’re both men. It’s a scandal, something his father cannot forget and forgive by any means.

And Dimitri loves that.

“What… to you mean?” Dimitri’s voice is low, his hand is clutching at the white sheet on the table, his breath is ragged.  
If someone had walked in, they would’ve been ruined. The kingdom would be devasted, probably Claude banned from it and Dimitri with him, the press will have the juicest scandal of all times.  
“I-I think that-“

“I’m not a diplomatic, at least for the Alliance. I am one, absolutely, but from another land. Do you know what they say about Almyra? Over there, you can be whoever you want, with whoever you want.” 

Dimitri swallows his breath: he knows about Almyra well. A kingdom in the south, with hot sand and warm coloured people, and the tale of a prince who loves company of both women and men, a prince with jade’s eyes and skilled in war as in bed.  
More than once Dimitri read about it, about him, and everytime a thrill ran over his spine.

“I, Khalid, happen to be its crown prince.”  
Claud-no, _Khalid’s_ smile follows his words, and Dimitri can easly hear a voice inside his head.

_Don’t die from poison. Every kind of poison._

That’s what Felix said but, and Dimitri is sure of it, he’s already been bitten by the most dangerous snake, hidden in the sand.

**Author's Note:**

> HEWWO  
> I'm so sorry i didn't know what I was writing until the last sentence ALSO English is not my first language so be kind. . .


End file.
